Recent arrests in Jordan and Israel show that Hamas and the Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood are trying to smuggle weapons into Gaza and the West Bank. After Egypt's army destroyed tunnels joining Gaza and Sinai that had been lucrative smuggling paths, Hamas has been cultivating replacements.

The Shin Bet (Israel's domestic security agency) arrested one fisherman, Hussam Bakr, after he visited his child who was being treated for cancer in an Israeli hospital.

Bakr told interrogators that Hamas forced him to become a smuggler after terrorists detained and beat him, accusing him of collaborating with Israel. Hamas threatened to put Bakr on an "internal security list" to prevent him from entering Israel to visit his child. He gave in.

"They told us to be quiet and not to speak to anyone. And if the Egyptians or the Israelis chase after us, throw it [weapons and explosives] all to the sea and to say that we are fishermen, to not say what we are doing," Bakr reportedly said.

"There have been a number of smuggling attempts in recent months that we have thwarted. We are monitoring the area day and night; thwarting smuggling is one of central missions," a senior Israeli navy source told the Jerusalem Post.

Meanwhile, members of Jordan's Muslim Brotherhood reportedly tried to create a secret military organization planning terrorist attacks in the West Bank, senior Jordanian sources toldAl-Hayat.

Jordanian officials arrested 21 Muslim Brotherhood personnel for smuggling money and weapons into the West Bank. Two of the suspects were charged with getting military training in Gaza.

The Jordanian sources revealed that "these two young men tried to train other Muslim Brotherhood members in order to carry out operations in the occupied West Bank." Salah al-Arouri, a senior Hamas official based in Turkey, also came up in the investigation.

These allegations come after Israeli authorities thwarted a large-scale transnational Hamas network planning to attack Israelis in Jerusalem, the West Bank and overseas. Hamas' new headquarters in Turkey reportedly oversees the terrorist organization's West Bank operations.

Reader comments on this item

Egypt also busted some fishermen in Nuweiba

Submitted by Rhonda, Dec 3, 2014 15:28

This explains and confirms why it is now required to travel in convoys when going outside of Sharm el-Sheikh to Dahab or anyway to the north. Egypt also reportedly caught some faloukas filled with weapons rrying to enter the port of Nuweiba, about 30 minutes south of the Israeli border. This was about a month - 6 weeks ago, right before ABM declared allegiance to the IS. It is now necessary for any tourists to get a police permission the day before, and have a police escort to travel outside of the city.

The question, which no one knows the answer to is where did the faloukas come from? Inside the gulf of Aqaba the Red Sea borders 4 countries, Saudi, Israel, Jordan, and Egypt. In my opinion Saudi and Israel are the least likely possibilities. It is not likely they came from Egypt and tried to re-enter Egypt at a more southern point, although it is a possibility because of all he random check-points and heavy security on the one road that leads from the Taba / Eliat border to Sharm el-Sheikh. But the strongest possibility is that they came from Jordan. There is also a ferry from Aqaba to Nuweiba for tourists.

This article seems to confirm they came from Jordan, if they are also trying to get weapons to Gaza. It is not likely a shipment of weapons could make it from Nuweiba to Gaza with all of the heavy security. It is not easy to cross from the South Sinai governate into the North Sinai Governate. So most likely they were trying to get some weapons into the tourist resorts of Dahab and Sharm el-Sheikh. There is very heavy security, so I doubt they will have any success in the South Sinai. I'm sure there are many other incidents on a daily basis we do not hear about. But there is no way. The security is too heavy.

It Is What It Is

Submitted by Michael Fox, Dec 3, 2014 01:22

If it waddles like a skunk, has black an white stripes like a skunk and smells like a skunk, chances are, it's a Turkey.

The bloom is off the rose. In spite of efforts to sound politically correct, save it trade, tourist industry and NATO status, Turkey supports Islamic terrorism, It is a proven enemy of Israel, the Jews and the west.

Comment on this item

Name: (optional)

Email Address:

Title of Comments:

Comments:

Email me if someone replies to my comment

Note: IPT will moderate reader comments. We reserve the right to edit or remove any comment we determine to be inappropriate. This includes, but is not limited to, comments that include swearing, name calling, or offensive language involving race, religion or ethnicity. All comments must include an email address for verification.